The Chicago Bears have invested good money in a No. 2 running back for the third consecutive year, and the signing Thursday of free agent Michael Bush to a four-year contract could prove to be quality insurance if a contract agreement can't be reached with Matt Forte. Bush's deal is worth $14 million, with $7 million guaranteed. Bush becomes the third significant piece added to the Bears' offense in a little more than a week. The former Oakland Raiders running back, who...

As I look at the Bears' schedule, I see two tough games: San Francisco and New England. Do you see any others and do you think the Bears will win the division and the Super Bowl? - LaVonte R., Chicago, from email I imagine you've stopped by after reading Steve Rosenbloom, huh? The Bears defeated the Packers in Marc Trestman's first game as head coach in the rivalry. But Green Bay has won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams. Those two games would strike me as "tough.

With their eight selections in the 2014 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears chose NFC playoff legitimacy. They began the entertaining, exhaustive three-day process with holes free-agency didn't fill and ended it with a roster complete enough to challenge the Packers in the NFC North. They addressed glaring weaknesses on the defensive line and secondary as well as found a backup running back cheaper than overpaid veterans Michael Bush, Marion Barber and Chester Taylor ever were....

The Sports Xchange Bears RB Forte still out with ankle injury Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte has been ruled out of this Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams as he recovers from an ankle injury he sustained against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13. Michael Bush will start in his place. -----------------------------------------------

As the NFL draft nears - it takes place May 8-10 - we're taking an 11-day, position-by-position look at what's out there and what the Bears need. Bears status Matt Forte is coming off his best season, a Pro Bowl-worthy surge that saw him total 1,933 yards from scrimmage with 12 touchdowns. Forte was a workhorse, averaging 22.7 touches per game and 4.6 yards per carry while contributing a career-high 74 catches. But the March release of Michael Bush left the Bears somewhat thin at the...

The addition of Michael Bush to the Chicago Bears' backfield seemed to spell the end for Marion Barber. But maybe Barber knew the end was coming long before any personnel decisions were made. Barber, 28, has decided to retire, the Bears announced Friday. He was due a base salary of $1.9 million for 2012 and had a cap figure of $2.25 million. His decision saves the Bears $2 million in cap space. The reason behind Barber's decision is unknown, although he dealt with a nagging...

The Bears on Monday released running back Michael Bush , a long-anticipated move that clears significant salary-cap space but leaves the team without a proven backup to starter Matt Forte . It saves the Bears $2.85 million for 2014 and clears $1.85 million in cap space. Bush signed a four-year, $14 million contract in 2012, when Forte's future with the team was uncertain. Bush earned $7.55 million over the last two seasons and will count $2 million against the cap this year.

The Sports Xchange Bears place RB Bush on IR, re-sign Bell The Chicago Bears placed running back Michael Bush on season-ending injured reserve with injured ribs and re-signed Kahlil Bell. Bush finishes his first season in Chicago with 411 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 114 carries. Bell has spent parts of four seasons with the Bears from 2009-12, starting three of 25 games and rushing for 589 yards on 131 career carries. ...

Alshon Jeffery drew deserved praise for his latest highlight-reel grab, a 45-yard game-tying touchdown in Sunday's 38-31 win over the Browns. The Bears' second-year receiver broke back to the ball past cornerback Julian Posey, then leaped over safety Tashaun Gipson and landed in the end zone. But Bears coach Marc Trestman made it clear Monday that Jeffery will need to clean up his mental mistakes. Of the Bears' seven penalties in Cleveland, Jeffery contributed...

The Sports Xchange Bears waive RB Bell The Chicago Bears waived running back Kahlil Bell on Thursday, and, according to the Chicago Tribune's Vaughn McClure, Bell was released at his request. Bell was scheduled to make $1.26 million this season, and the team asked him to play for $700,000 as the team's third back behind Matt Forte and Michael Bush. Bell declined and was released. While filling in for Forte last season, Bell rushed for 337 yards with a 4.3 yards-per-carry average.

Ten thoughts after the Chicago Bears defeated the Cleveland Browns 38-31 Sunday to improve to 8-6 and move into first place (at least temporarily) in the NFC North. 1. Brandon Marshall said he was the primary read on Alshon Jeffery's 45-yard touchdown , the first in a three-score barrage in the fourth quarter that helped the Bears put away the Browns. If the defenders followed Marshall, Jeffery was the next read streaking down the field. Well, Marshall didn't attract a lot of...

PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Although Matt Forte's contract stalemate with the Chicago Bears lingers, coach Lovie Smith said Wednesday he isn't overly concerned about the situation becoming potentially divisive. “I look at offseason as time to negotiate,” Smith said at the NFL meetings, pointing out that Forte has not missed any team functions. “You do it different ways. He doesn't feel good about his contract situation. He voiced that. It's no more than that. I don't make too big...

When the Bears placed Charles Tillman on injured reserve with designation to return Nov. 11, there was outside hope lingering that the Pro Bowl cornerback might be back to aid the defense in the postseason. But that hope has been fully dashed, with coach Marc Trestman announcing Monday that Tillman will not play again this season. Tillman could have returned to practice Dec. 23 and would have been eligible to return to game action if the Bears advanced to the divisional round...

Alshon Jeffery has rushed four times for minus-6 yards in the last four games and his only carry Sunday was for a 3-yard loss. But end-arounds that created big gains for the wide receiver earlier in the season set up big plays in the 38-31 victory over the Browns. Jeffery came in motion to fake receipt of a handoff from Jay Cutler early in the fourth quarter with the Bears trailing 24-17 and facing third-and-2 on their own 48-yard line. It's no secret the offense has been struggling...

As a senior at Libertyville High School, I am pleased that we have an excellent public high school. Physics teacher Michael Bush is one reason why the school is so great. Recently Bush took nine Libertyville High School students on two teams to a physics competition at Northern Illinois University. Bush not only gave up his Saturday for the competition (waking up early so we could leave by 6:30 a.m.), but he also gave up after-school time for practice. The teams finished first and fourth out of 19 teams,...

The Sports Xchange EditorsNote: fixes long dashes in What they said and What we learned sections Bears-Browns: What we learned CLEVELAND -- The Chicago Bears clawed their way into first place in the NFC North on Sunday and Jay Cutler answered critics who thought the starting quarterback job was better left in the hands of backup Josh McCown. Cutler threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and the Chicago Bears scored 21 unanswered points to complete a 38-31 come-from-behind...